RINGWOOD High Street will be closed to traffic between Friday's Cross and Meeting House Lane for six weeks from Monday, January 14.

The closure will allow Southern Gas to carry out replacement of the old cast iron gas main.

"Obviously it will give the shopkeepers a headache but it has been planned for quite a long time," said Mayor Cllr Brian Terry.

"It should have started in November but we the town council asked them to put it off until after Christmas."

He is also concerned about the current closure of Eastfield Lane for surface water relief work leading to additional traffic in the town centre.